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| Each month I receive the free gift Rev. Billy Graham has to offer. This month he sent out a book called Praying Through The Tough Times. I wish I could type out the entire book for you because it is a true blessing. Maybe you can buy a copy or go to Billy Graham's web site and request one. I have not read the entire book, and have in fact just glanced over it, but what I have read is a blessing. I will get some more read as I add some of the poetry and different things from the book. I do hope you are blessed by what I share with you. |
| God Himself Is the Answer TOUGH TIMES. WE ALL HAVE THEM. Perhaps you are in one of those times right now. Tough times usually have something to do with loss: *we are traumatized by the death of a loved one or close friend *we are hurt when a profound disappointment comes our way *we face the fracturing of a cherished relationship or endure conflict among people we love *we see our hopes and dreams for our work put on hold *we are under immense stress and strain *we feel problems pile up *we experience health problems, pain, or lifethreatening illness We've all lived in the tough times of panic over terrorism since 9/11. Soul- sized issues swirl around us, and we wonder if we can make any difference. And there are enough social problems in all our communities to keep us on edge. It's often in tough times that we find it difficult to pray. When we need God most we find it hard to talk with Him. Oour "why me's?" lead us into doubt, resentment, and finally a feeling of the absence of God. He hasn't left or changed, but we develop a low-grade agnosticism that leads to the neglect of prayer. Then our "Lord, get me out of this!" eventually comes to "Lord, what do You want me to get out of this?" Our motto becomes "Things don't work out; God works out things!" This book of prayers for tough times was written during my time of healing from grief after my wife of 52 years, Mary Jane, graduated to heaven. The prayers are in the first-person singular so they can be a very personal expression. They represent my own deepest thoughts and feelings, as well as those shared with me by fellow strugglers I've known and counseled through the many years of my ministry. In all these prayers, I've tried to live in your skin and give wings to your own anguish or anxiety, or your praise and adoration. I've put the prayers into categories of what I've found to be the most troublesome aspects of tough times. The "when I need" emphasis of most of the titles is for the ready reference to what you may be going through right now. Also, it is my hope that this will be a book you will want to share with loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people at work when you want to help them receive comfort and courage in a tough time. The undergirding conviction of these prayers is, God Himself is the Answer. What we all need in tough times is a intimate, healing, inspring experience of His grace and goodness, peace, and power. Opposite each prayer are Scriptures, salient quotes from people who knew God's strength in tough times, and poems I've loved to remember and repeat when I needed a special boost and blessing. I hope they are uplifting to you as they have been to me. Prayer begins with God, and sweeps into our minds and hearts. He clarifies what He desires for us so that we can pray with boldness for what He is more ready to give than we may have been willing to ask. Prayers is the source of healing and hope in tough times. My deepest longing is that this book will be a guide for honest, healing, and hopeful prayer for you whenever tough times come and the going is rough. God's promise to never leave or forsake us is absolutely true and reliable. I know! Lloyd John Ogilvie |
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| F.B. Meyer shared the secret of enduring tough times: It was first taught me by a grey-haired clergyman in the study of the Deanery of Southamptom. Once when tempted to feel great irritation, he told us that he looked up and claimed the patience and gentleness of Christ and since then it had become the practice of his life to claim from Him the virtue of which he felt deficiency in himself. In hours of unrest, "They Peace, Lord." In hours of irritation, "Thy Patience, Lord." In hours of temptation, "Thy Purity Lord." It was to me a message straight from the Lord. Till then I had been content in ridding myself of burdens; now I began to reach forth to positive blessings. There are two great words-claim God's fullness, and reckon that whatever you can claim is yours, although no answering emotion assures you that it is. Dare to act in faith, stepping out in the assurance that you have just what you have claimed, doing just as you would if you felt to have it. WHEN I NEED GOD'S FAITHFULNESS He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; To added affliction He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, Our Father's full giving is only begun. His love has no limit, His grace has no measure, His pow'r has no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again! *Annie Johnson Flint* |
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